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Reflexology
with
Gail Harrison
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Reflexologist's
Holders
of a complete Competency Certificate. Reg W.A.
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* Liz Sherratt
Australind/Bunbury miliclan@bigpond.com
* Joanne Wilkinson
Bunbury reflexologywithjo@hotmail.com
* Gail Harrison
Morangup/ Midland gail@touchingsoles.com.au
* Mairead Spooner
Ocean Reef spooner@tpg.com.au
* Christine Fewern South
Perth christinafrewen@aapt.net.au
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Articles from Australian
Reflexologist
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Stress and Anxiety
- Cherel Waters
"M" is a 42-year-old nurse who came into my clinic
room to ask what was the difference between Reflexology
and Reiki.
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I discussed both, whereupon she told me she had
suffered a nervous breakdown twelve months ago and
had spent a year going back and forth to a psychologist.
She asked if reflexology treatments could help her.
I explained the benefits of balancing the body's
systems and how reflexology can reduce stress and
induce deep relaxation. She booked her first treatment
for two days hence.
1st Session
M arrived very tense and anxious for her first session.
She said it was very difficult walking through the
door of the clinic. We discussed what would happen
in this session - that I would be working the meridian
pathways and each of the reflexes for the major
organs of the body. I asked her what she wanted
to achieve from the treatment. Her answer "to feel
like a whole person again, not like two people in
one body as I feel now." "Wow!" I thought, "this
is going to be a challenge." We proceeded taking
her medical history and other than her nervous breakdown
she had no other serious or minor illnesses. She
had dermatitis of her hands and a little on her
feet, and finger nails were bitten down to the quick.
Her psychologist attributed her breakdown to the
death of a close relative, which brought back memories
of her father's death many years ago. We decided
on a treatment plan of two sessions each week until
M felt a difference in herself.
On examining her feet I found a circular area of
dermatitis on the ball (R) foot plantar surface
in the 4th zone; the toes cold, muscle tone and
colour good. The treatment found tension in the
chest/lung/heart region, & diaphragm reflex. Tender
reflexes (R) thoracic spine, (L) lumbar spine, breast
reflexes dorsal surface. Meridians showed congestion
St (R); GB (L); M's foot tensed up many times during
this first treatment and relaxation movements helped
a little. Her eyes were closed during the session
and her jaw and mouth were held tight. I finished
the session with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus
hold.
At the end of session M reported that during the
session she felt a release on her left side and
pointed to her descending colon area.
2nd Session
M reported that she felt very angry and had not
stopped crying for the last two days. She felt this
was good for her. However, she was very anxious
about this session. First I worked the toes - meridian
pathways. Liv; GB (L & R); K/Bl (L & R) ; St (L)
were all extremely sensitive. I started with a light
touch working the whole foot - which was still tensing
up, and her face and jaw looked tense. As I worked
I began using techniques as Chris Stormer recommends
- visualising colour for each organ as I worked
the area. Pituitary and adrenal reflexes were extremely
sensitive. I finished the session with lymphatic
drainage and solar plexus hold.
M reported feeling light around the stomach region
and (R) side colon area, but was still tight above
the waist, and pointed to her chest, throat and
jaw.
3rd Session
M was dreaming a lot each night. She still felt
very angry, and as if she had a tight elastic band
around chest and throat. She could not relax her
jaw and thought she was grinding her teeth at night.
I started the session with relaxation techniques
and noted her feet did not seem as tense. However
all meridians on (L) foot were sensitive, and only
Liv and GB on (R) foot. During the session I worked
the lungs, heart, breast reflexes well. The diaphragm
area was very tense - diaphragm lift helped. I worked
the 1st joint of the big toe well to assist the
jaw to release. I finished this session with the
Brazilian Toe Hold (BTH) technique.
M reported feeling much more relaxed during this
session until near the end of the session when she
became very anxious. I concluded that the BTH had
been confronting to her so we had a long discussion
at the end of that session and she was feeling calmer
when she left the clinic.
4th Session
M said she felt lighter, not as depressed, and coping
a lot better - hadn't felt this good for ages. There
had only had been one crying period since the last
session. I worked the meridian pathways well at
start of session. (R) foot toes were all sensitive;
(L) no sensitivity at all. I did a full work out
on the feet with extra attention to lungs, heart,
breast and jaw reflexes, and an extra deep workout
on liver & spleen reflexes. (R) foot tensed up during
treatment and I observed the mouth/ jaw did not
look as tense or locked up as with previous sessions.
I finished with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus
hold.
M reported that she felt a little lighter in the
chest region - there were still elastic bands there
but not as many. My own observation at this point
was that the tension was being held in the right
side of her body and it was more difficult to move
this tension/ energy.
5th Session
M reported having some good days and some bad days,
although she felt calmer. She had been looking forward
to this session and wanted to try the Brazilian
Toe Hold again at the end of the session. I work
the meridian pathways well with all points sensitive
on (R) foot, and only Liv. on (L) foot. I felt tension
in the liver reflex during the session and worked
it deeply with strong pressure. I did a full work
out all systems and once again worked heart, lungs,
breast and jaw reflexes. Also more polarity was
introduced into this session - working the spine,
sacral spine to shoulders, cervical spine to shoulders.
The aim was to get the energy coming up the body
and across the body to release some of the tension.
I finished with the Brazilian Toe Hold much to the
delight of M, who was very relaxed during the session
and also at the end of the session.
M reported that she felt like she had been through
a light show as she had visualised all the colours
of the rainbow and was amazed that she was so at
ease.
6th Session
Now three weeks since M first came into my clinic,
the change in her was very noticeable. She had a
sparkle in her voice for the first time, and she
looked relaxed. M felt like a lot of pressure had
been taken off her chest - no more elastic bands
- but her jaw was still very tight. Her anxiety
levels had reduced dramatically and she said she
may even go shopping with her husband first time
in a year. I worked the meridian pathways well,
and these showed a change had occurred - St, GB,
and K/Bl sensitive on (R) foot; St sensitive on
(L) foot . Extra attention was given to the jaw
reflexes, with gentle to medium pressure on all
other systems. I finished with lymphatic drainage
and solar plexus hold.
M reported that she almost fell asleep during the
session and her jaw did not feel tense now at all.
7th Session
M injured her back at work and had pain her thoracic
region. She had had a headache for three days since
the injury. M intended to see a physiotherapist
for treatment as required by Work Cover. I worked
the meridian pathways well - Liv (L & R) and St
(L) sensitive. Bladder reflexes puffy, medial ankles
(kidney meridian) and lateral ankles (bladder meridian)
were extremely tender. Lower thoracic spine reflexes
needed sedating to assist back pain. (Ear Spinal
Reflexes were worked as well.) All systems were
worked with extra attention to lungs, liver and
colon - for emotional issues. I used polarity on
the spine - session finished with Brazilian Toe
Hold.
8th Session
M had two weeks off work to recover from her back
injury. She continued with physiotherapy as required
and wanted to continue working with reflexology.
She said she was surprised that she was coping so
well, particularly with her injury. Her jaw region
still felt tight and I suggested that Bach Flower
Remedies may help. The session begins with meridians
being worked well. GB, K/Bl on (R) foot and St,
K/Bl on (L) foot were extremely sensitive. The Stomach
meridian had been coming up throughout all of the
sessions and I contributed this to the jaw tension.
The thoracic spine reflex was extremely tender and
wais sedated. I worked all spinal reflexes well,
including all supporting muscle reflexes, and muscular
regions of the back. I worked all systems well especially
digestive organs: stomach, liver, spleen and pancreas.
Liver reflexes were holding tension. I finished
with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus hold.
M felt a little tense at end of the session and
attributed that to her back. She chose some Bach
Flower Remedies and we discussed them together.
A remedy bottle was made for her and we decided
that she should reappoint for a weeks time, as she
is seeing the physiotherapist every other day.
9th Session
M reported that her teeth had been aching and that
the Bach Flowers were moving some emotions for she
had been very teary again. She felt she must keep
working through the pain - and we decided to continue
with the polarity and finish with the Brazilian
Toe Hold. Meridian pathways were worked well: GB,
K/Bl (R) foot and St (L) foot showed sensitivity.
Head zones, teeth and jaw were worked well, and
lungs and colon for release of emotional issues.
The ball of (L) foot was very red around the heart
reflexes during and at the end of the session. Brazilian
Toe Hold brought up some emotions and tears were
released.
M felt very calm at the end of the session - the
tears were like a release. However, she said, "my
jaw is tensing up again".
10th Session
Dermatitis had flared up again on (L) foot. It had
subsided after the third session and M thought it
had gone. Her teeth were still tense. Her nails
were still growing and she had not bitten them since
starting the sessions. M said this was wonderful
progress for her and she was very proud of her nails
- they were painted with blue nail polish. I worked
through meridian pathways well: Liv (R) foot and
GB (L & R) were sensitive. I did a full work out
on all systems during this session and extra work
on all spinal reflexes to assist the back to recover
and for her nervous system. I did polarity on spine,
spine+cervical spine, shoulders. I worked adrenals,
lungs and colon for dermatitis, and jaw and teeth
reflexes for the tension felt in the area. I finished
session with lymphatic drainage and solar plexus
hold.
Conclusion
M's response to the 10 treatment sessions was very
positive. During this time M was able to go to work
without feeling stressed prior to each of her shifts
in a busy local hospital. She had been shopping
with her husband for the first time in twelve months
and she did not have an anxiety attack. She is not
crying every second day and in her own words "I
can't believe that after such a short time 1 am
coping so well, 1 have not felt this good for months."
Each treatment session with M has been a learning
experience for me in many ways. I have learnt that:
(1) It is of paramount importance to treat the client
as an individual.
(2) We should listen prior to each session to what
is happening at that time.
(3) We should work to assist each problem.
(4) We should allow the body to show through the
reflexes of each foot where the tension is being
held today.
(5) We should work wholistically.
(6) Working with other forms of treatment is OK,
eg. Bach Flower remedies, herbal remedies, massage,
homoeopathy etc.
(7) We should understand that reflexology does not
have all the answers and sometimes clients & move
on to another modality.
I am constantly surprised by the results shown with
reflexology, and my experience with M has reminded
me how powerful the treatment session can be. M
has decided that she is going to try another modality
to help her to go further with her treatment. I
believe reflexology has also assisted her in making
this decision by allowing her to feel that she has
a little more control over her emotions. She is
listening to her own body and assessing its needs.
( Cherel Sue Waters has been practising reflexology
since July 1997. She works at a Clinic in Umina
on the Central Coast - NSW. She is an Officer of
the NSW branch and is fully committed to furthering
her knowledge of reflexology and the promotion of
reflexology in the community.)
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Exert taken from refexology.org.au |
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Touching
Soles
